Hestia The Dreamwalker by S.E Ellis Review Featuring an Interview of the Author

Hestia The Dreamwalker is the perfect cannonball into teen fantasy and talking wolves. This novel is by far one of my favorites, it kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next. There’s just so much adventure! With Hestia’s brother disappearing and news that the priest of the Shadow is looking for a new oracle, trying to find him while also working on her shaman studies, and finding out wolves can talk at the age of 14, there was so much running through my mind. Will Hestia find her brother? Will she make it through the wolves rite of passage? Is she really 14?

This novel is so beautifully written that I couldn’t even tell that this was the author’s first book. The description really helped me visualize what was going on. I even reached out to them in regards of the novel to answer a few questions that I had. This is what they said,

1. What inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to write a novel that my 12-year-old would enjoy. (Later I found out that I have readers as young as 9 and others in their 70s!) Nearly all the books popular at the time, like Harry Potter, had a male protagonist, so I wanted to write one with a female lead character – one with an annoying younger brother.
There were specific themes that I felt were ignored in many popular books that I wanted to address. It struck me that while we (adults) teach kids to solve problems using methods other than brute force and violence, we then churn out movies and books where the hero kills the villain. Another example of adults proclaiming “Do as we say, not as we do!” I wanted to write a novel that would have the reader on the edge of their seat, but where the hero resolved the conflict using something other than a sword. While it’s not central to the plot, it was a deliberate choice on my part that Hestia and her brother had grown up not knowing their father. Not to make any other statement than to have a book acknowledge it happens. I also wanted to reference the very real experience everyone in the world has: the death of a loved one. It’s bewildering that something that speaks to the very core of the human experience is so often ignored in stories or not handled with respect.

2. How has this book helped you grow/learn as an author?
I can’t convey how much I learned in writing “Hestia the Dreamwalker”! Craft-wise, I learned a lot about story structure, pacing, plots, sub-plots, character arcs, voice and much more. Business-wise, I learned a lot about genres, publishing, and marketing. I took all the lessons I learned from writing “Hestia the Dreamwalker” and applied them while writing “Hestia the Wolfrunner”. My second novel is longer, but I think actually reads quicker because of the level of tension. With “Hestia the Wolfrunner” I also explored characters deeper by giving them their own story arcs, especially Lupin (who everyone seems to love). Seeing the positive response to the first book has motivated me to keep writing when I might not have otherwise. It’s was a surreal experience to have a table at a convention and have a fan ask me to sign their shirt! I’ve received messages from fans from all over the world! One of my biggest fans is a young woman in the United Arab Emirates! I never would have guessed I’d have fans in other countries, let alone ones that distant!

3. Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?
The sequel, “Hestia the Wolfrunner” is in the process of being formatted and I’m hoping to have up on Amazon by the end of the year.
A lot of people in life will tell you that you can’t do things: “You can’t sing. You can’t draw. You can’t make art. You can’t play in a band. You can’t make games. You can’t make movies. You can’t write novels.” Don’t argue with them, just do it. PROVE THEM WRONG.